Mutterings of a Mad Woman

The big question at my last show was "do you have an etsy shop?" to which I sheepishly replied "Yes. A very, very, very neglected one".

I thought I would rectify the situation. While I do love (and prefer) selling in person and getting to meet those who adopt my critters, I know there are those of you who can't come out to Toronto every time I have a show. This sale is for you.

It's the Lucky 13 sale. Why the name? Two reasons:

First, the shop will go back into vacation mode on October 13th, 2012 and I'll be taking leftover items to sell at my next show, the Bazaar of the Bizarre. So that's the 13 part.

The lucky part is that, as part of my penance for being such a bad online shop keeper, I'm offering an olive branch to the faithful who come to the blog and follow me online.

I was sorting through my stock and found 6 of my sculpted Undead Head necklaces. I'd made dozens upon dozens of these in 2010. I do not have any intention of making anymore (some people are suited to making jewelry. I am not).

SO the first 6 people who buy an item from the shop and mention "ZOMBIE!" (during checkout, but if you forget just email me with the word and your name) will find a surprise undead gift in their package as a token of my appreciation.

I made this figure in July sometime. He popped up in the middle of my monster madness, an anomaly with no name and no story.

I'm not even sure if he's finished (a hat? more baubles?), but here he is for now.

I've had the owl sculpted for more than a year, waiting for a proper owner. It's actually the owl I fell in love with originally (and why this piece is staying in my personal collection).

Even now, I struggle to know his story. Which is strange.

Sullivan tends to the smaller animals in the forest.

Each day, with the help of Screecher, he scouts the woods for injured beasts in need of help. He tends their wounds, feeds the starving, frees the captured, and returns wandering babes to the safety of their nest, crook, or cave.

This figure is approximately 10 inches tall.

More images below.

It's interesting being presented with a creation that has absolutely no ties to Halloween or previous styles. And I use the word "presented" because the majority of sculptures reveal themselves as I work rather than being born from an idea or vision.

I've also noticed a pattern of pieces who I imagine come from the same world or town apart from the other figures. A grander story waiting to be told. When it's more clear, I'll let you know the tale they are trying to tell me.

Folks who have been hanging around this site long enough may have noticed - especially over the last year - that my creations are changing. Some slightly (like the Minions), and some...well...some seem to come out of nowhere.

The Creature in the Corner is one of those figures. Standing at approximately 16 inches tall (longer if you followed the curve of his spine), he towers over all my other figures.

Normally a story follows (or accompanies) a piece's creation. I had this figure on the table at the show without a name or story. It came to me on the last day. Short on details for such a tall character, but enough to let me have a basic understanding of who...or at least what...it is.

Leaning out of shadows, the Creature in the Corner is usually overlooked.

It does not speak.

It does not walk from place to place.

It simply appears, bending its long body to peer over or around objects.

Even if someone catches a glimpse of it, by the time they walk to where it was, it has faded away.

More pictures below.

And more pictures to come of ANOTHER creature who came out of nowhere. I think I may have officially watched Labyrinth and Dark Crystal too many times (if that's possible). Of course, there are worse things in life than making something that reminds you in a distant way of the genius of Brian Froud. Look for that soon.

I'm finding more and more each year that I spend most (if not all) my shopping time (and money) in Artist Alley at FanExpo. A lot of people have echoed this statement. If you're looking for Bazinga t-shirts and Doctor Who figures, the retail section is for you. But really, despite Artist Alley being shuffled around and organized like an afterthought, it's the place to go to find unique and cool items (just be prepared to wade through the mishmash of genres and levels of professionalism).

This year I picked up a They Live print from Andrew Barr who always has a table nearby with Leigh Young. It was this print that I took to have John Carpenter sign. It's the first time I paid for an autograph in all the years I've attended the convention. Max Brooks, Guillermo Del Toro, House of Frightenstein folks: all free and lovely to chat with in years past. Mr. Carpenter was...there to sign autographs. Period. And that pretty much sums up our meeting. Though he did managean initial smile when he shook my hand, and then was curious who the illustrator was for the image (luckily Andrew was behind me in line so I could point him out). But that was it. Yeah, yeah, we all love Jack Burton. Thanks for the $40, now step aside and quit with the small talk.

I have finally gotten a chance to add all of the new minions (well, all the minions that have been photographed) to the Art Ghoullery section with their stories.

It was a weird convention experience for me this year. They changed the layout - again - so much that I had people saying they had the hardest time finding Artist Alley (never mind my actual table). And since our creepy coven of artists were hidden in the far back corner, people who like horror (or Halloweenish things) usually turned down the main aisle before getting near us (since there was a sea of anime items close by that gave the impression that's all there was).

When strangers see Rosa shuffling around her garden, collecting leaves and petals from odd or exotic plants that grow wildly in the fenced area, they often joke that the "old gypsy lady is casting a curse on someone again".

Rosa's hearing isn't what it used to be, but if she heard them she might correct them (in charming, grandmotherly broken English). At least about the gypsy part. As far as she remembers, there were no gypsies in her ancestral line.But then again, who knows? Her varied European family tree may have a branch dipped in a nomad clan somewhere.

As for the curse part....you can't cast a curse.

More like you brew one. Simmer one slowly. Lovingly add a wide variety of ingredients, carefully balancing the mixture.

"You no justa...wiggle your fingers and a POOFY it's finito."

The more care used, the more powerful the mixture. You can't rush a good curse. You cultivate it, care for it, and then send it into the world.

It's been a month since I last posted. Why? Because I've been creating an army of creatures for FanExpo which takes place this weekend starting tomorrow in Toronto.

I'll be in the Artist Alley section (you can see the map marked with my location in far left corner - not too far from the Tim Burton Frankenweenie exhibit) at table A45.

I have taken loads of pictures for all the new creations waiting for their big premiere but haven't had two seconds free to post them. August has been a runaway train.

To remedy this, I decided to snap a couple of quick pictures for all of you to take a sneak peek (more below) and see what the table will look like this year, and who is on offer.

I always do a trial run for the table before a big show. This year, there are so many critters I barely have room for them all: Plague Doctors, Little Minions, Dark Dwellers, Carnivorous Plants, mini pumpkins and more.